The present invention relates generally to a device for holding an umbrella, such as a patio umbrella, on a deck formed from planking, and, more particularly, to a support apparatus that receives a patio umbrella mast for selective positioning the umbrella on a patio deck.
Patio furniture, such as a patio table, can be formed with an opening extending vertically therethrough for the passage of a patio umbrella. In some patio tables, the frame for the support of the patio table includes an integral holder for the base of the patio umbrella. In other configurations, such as is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,517, issued to Joseph Salibra on Nov. 11, 1997, the stand for mounting the base of the patio umbrella is bolted or clamped to the decking forming the floor of the patio deck. Thus, movement of the patio table from one location to another requires the unclamping or disconnection of the stand from the patio decking which, in turn, requires access to the clamping member beneath the decking.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,826, issued to William Galloway, III, on Dec. 21, 1999, the patio umbrella is supported in a stand or holder that is movably supported on the patio deck, but is restrained from lateral movement by an upper bracket that is affixed to the deck railing, thus providing an upper and lower, vertically spaced, supports for the restraint of the patio umbrella or other elongated patio accessory, such as a plant hanger. While movement of the Galloway umbrella stand does not require access to a clamping apparatus beneath the patio decking, location of the support devices is limited to proximity to an elevated support member, such as a deck railing or the like. Furthermore, the Galloway support apparatus is hampered by the lack of restraint to the movement of the bottom stand member that receives the base of the patio umbrella. If this bottom stand member were bumped, the base of the umbrella would be subject to displacement relative to the upper support member.
Providing improvements in patio accessories in which the base of a patio umbrella can be supported to provide an easily detachable, yet positionally stable support stand for the patio umbrella would be desirable.